Footstool or the like



Feb. 18, 1964 N. s. ANCELL ETAL 3,121,551

FOOTSTOOL OR THE LIKE Filed Au 15, 1961 IN V EN TORS S wY mm E AS M S 0 Wm M mm trite 1 This invention relates to footstools and the like and more in particular to such constructions wherein the top may be tilted from a normal horizontal position to any of a plurality of position at various angles to the horizontal.

An object of this invention is to provide improved constructions for footstools and the like. A further object is to provide an improved footstool wherein the top is adapted to be swung from a normal horizontal position to any of a plurality of positions at various angles to the horizontal. A further object is to provide for the above with structure which is simple, sturdy, light in weight and easily operated. A still further object is to provide for the above in such a manner as to avoid the possibility of accidental injury to the user. A further object is to provide for the above with structure wherein the leg-supporting top is securely supported in any of its selected angular positions. These and other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out below.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention with the top frame and padding shown in broken lines so as to expose the frame and operating structures;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are fragmentary vertical sectional views on the line 22 of FIGURE 1 and on a reduced scale; and,

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the basic frame and the top supporting member of FIGURES 1 to 3, but with the central portion omitted.

Many attempts have been made to provide a fully satisfactory structure for footstools and the like which will permit the top of the stool to be tilted from the horizontal. While some of these attempts have been somewhat successful it has been found that they have inherent faults. Some are difiicult to operate, so that the user tends to remain uncomfortable rather than go to the trouble of making an adjustment. Some are expensive to manufacture and are heavy. Some provide very unsatisfactory support for the tilted top so that the user tends not to use the tilting feature. Perhaps the most objectionable constructions are those which subject the user to the danger of injury, for example, by pinching or smashing the fingers.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a stool 2 has a rigid tubular metal frame 3 formed by a pair of inverted U-shaped members 4, each of which forms two legs 6 and a horizontal rail 8, and a pair of horizontal bars 10 and 12 which are rigidly attached at their ends to rails 8. Each of legs 6 has a glider foot 13. Resting upon frame 3 is a stool top 14 which has a rigid box frame formed by a top wall 16, end walls 18 and 2G, a rear wall 22 and a front wall 24. Top wall 16 is covered by padding 23, and the top and outer sides of the box frame are covered by a plastic sheet 25.

Stool top 14 is swingably attached at the rear to frame 3 by a pair of screws 26, each of which extends through an opening in the adjacent rail 8 and through a washer 27 into the end Wall of the box frame. Positioned directly above each of rails 3 and attached to the adjacent end wall of the stool top is a laminated wood strip 3d. Strips 30 rest upon the rail at the front of the stool and provide support for the stool top when it is in the horizontal 'atent 3,121,551 Patented F eh. 18, 1964 position, as in FIGURES 1 and 2. Hence, the stool top is supported at the rear by screws 26 and at the front by strips 30.

The mechanism for holding the stool top in tilted position is a swinging bracket assembly 36 and a pair of notches 35 and 37 in each of the strips 30. Bracket assembly 36 is formed by a U-shaped bracket 33 and a horizontal bar 4%) welded thereto, the ends of which are freely journaled in openings in rails 8. Bracket 38 is a solid iron bar, with a central horizontal portion 42 and right angle arms 44 which have end portions 46 and 48 at right angles to arms 44 and parallel to the central portion 42. When the stool top is in the horizontal position of FIGURES 1 and 2, end portions 46 and 48 are positioned in the respective notches 37, and this holds bracket 36 in the horizontal position, as shown. However, the weight of the central portion 42 is sufficient to cause bracket 33 to swing toward the vertical position of FIGURE 4 when the stool top is lifted toward the position of FIGURE 3. During this movement, end portions 46 and 48 move along the surfaces Sit and 52 of notches 37 and then into notches 35 against surfaces 54 and 56. When in its latter position, the stool top is supported by screws 26 at the rear of the stool through end portions 46 and 48 by arms 44 from the pivot rod 40 at the front of the stool. If the user desires a lesser degree of tilting of the stool top than that shown in FIGURE 3, he need raise the stool top only high enough to allow the end portions 46 and 43 to engage notches 37. This causes top 14 to be supported in a slightly tilted position by screws 26 at the rear, and by the bracket arm 44 at the front, with the end portions engaging surfaces 50 and 52.

The swinging of bracket 36 to hold the stool top in the selected position is automatic when the stool is lifted, because the weight of the central portion 42 of the bracket 36 is suflicient to swing arms 44 upwardly. Hence, the lifting of the bracket arms depends solely upon the action of gravity. The upward swinging movement of the stool top is limited by the engagement of strips 36 against the rear portions of rails 3.

The stool top, which can easily be secured in a tilted position by lifting its front edge, can be equally easily restored to the horizontal position by pulling bar 42 toward the front of the stool. Furthermore, the user is provided with a choice of various tilted positions in which the top may be supported. The raising of the stool top to one of the positions or the lowering of it from one of them is clearly such a simple operation that it can be as easily accomplished with one of the feet as with the hands. In addition, the method of performing these operations is so simple that no instructions need be provided.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention herein described, all Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a construction of the character described, the combination of, a frame construction having supporting legs and a pair of parallel top rails, a bracket pivoted at its ends on said top rails and adapted to swing from and to a substantially horizontal position, said bracket having a central portion and a pair of arms each projecting from said pivot axis on the opposite side of said pivot axis from said central portion, said bracket being so constructed and arranged that said central portion swings downwardly and said arms swing upwardly when said bracket is subjected only to the action of gravity, a tiltable top mounted upon said frame construction and engageable by said arms during tilting movement of said top, said top being of sufficient weight to hold said bracket in its substantially horizontal position when both said top and said bracket are subjected only to the action of gravity, said top including means adapted to intercngage with said arms when said top is lifted and said bracket is swung from its horizontal position with said arms holding said top in a selected tilted position.

2. A footstool comprising, a frame construction, a stool top positioned upon said frame construction, said frame construction and said stool top being rectangular with front and rear sides, pivot means compri ing a pair of screws in alignment and forming a pivot axis for said stool top adjacent said rear side whereby said stool top may be swung to a tilted position against the action of gravity, and a swinging U-shaped bracket having a substantially horizontal central portion with rightangle arms at its ends, said bracket being pivoted upon a substantially horizontal axis intermediate the ends of said arms to pivot by the action of gravity from a horizontal position toward a vertical position, each of said arms having an end portion opposite said central portion of said bracket which presents a supporting surface which is moved by said swinging of said bracket from said horizontal position to engage said stool top in said tilted position thereby to provide support for said stooi top, said stool top and said bracket being freely swingable by the action of gravity.

3. A footstool comp-rising, a frame construction, a

stool top positioned upon said frame construction, said frame construction and said stool top having front and rear sides, pivot means forming a pivot axis for said stool top adjacent said rear side whereby said stool top may be swung to a tilted position against the action of gravity, and a swinging U-shaped bracket having a substantially horizontal central portion with arms at its ends which extend at right angles to said pivot axis, said bracket being pivoted upon a substantially horizontal axis intermediate the ends of said arms to pivot by the action of gravity from a horizontal position toward a vertical position, said stool top having ledge means radially positioned with respect to said pivot axis, each of said arms having an end portion opposite said central portion of said bracket which presents a supporting surface which is moved by said swinging of said bracket from said horizontal position to engage said ledge means of said stool top in said tilted position thereby to provide support for said stool top, said stool top and said bracket being freely swingable by the action of gravity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 277,544 Chappell May 15, 1883 2,838,098 Fuerst June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 719,129 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1954 

1. IN A CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION OF, A FRAME CONSTRUCTION HAVING SUPPORTING LEGS AND A PAIR OF PARALLEL TOP RAILS, A BRACKET PIVOTED AT ITS ENDS ON SAID TOP RAILS AND ADAPTED TO SWING FROM AND TO A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, SAID BRACKET HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION AND A PAIR OF ARMS EACH PROJECTING FROM SAID PIVOT AXIS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID PIVOT AXIS FROM SAID CENTRAL PORTION, SAID BRACKET BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT SAID CENTRAL PORTION SWINGS DOWNWARDLY AND SAID ARMS SWING UPWARDLY WHEN SAID BRACKET IS SUBJECTED ONLY TO THE ACTION OF GRAVITY, A TILTABLE TOP MOUNTED UPON SAID FRAME CONSTRUCTION AND ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ARMS DURING TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID TOP, SAID TOP BEING OF SUFFICIENT WEIGHT TO HOLD SAID BRACKET IN ITS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION WHEN BOTH SAID TOP AND SAID BRACKET ARE SUBJECTED ONLY TO THE ACTION OF GRAVITY, 